DJ Nate "Make Em Run "

If you asked someone to describe what is needed to create a song, or asked them what elements music in general should consist of, you're likely to get a handful of long-winded responses that could be boiled down to two parts: rhythm and melody. Aside from, say, certain noise and experimental acts, it's a fair enough breakdown, but it makes us wonder where Chicago's juke/footwork scene fits in. Like with this track from DJ Nate's upcoming Hatas Our Motivation EP for Planet Mu, much of the genre isn't the least bit interested in discernible melodies (save for quickly pitch-shifted, atonal vocal samples), and much of the bass-centric rhythms involved are so all over the place that a groove can be difficult to find. Still, there's obviously no denying that this is music pure and simple; it just happens to be unlike anything else we've had the pleasure of putting our ears to. (via 20JFG)